Premier gets tough on Tik use

Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool has thrown his weight behind a campaign aimed at educating the youth about the effect of the drug Tik, which has destroyed many lives and families in the province.

The Tik Off - There is Hope campaign unveiled last week at the Parow Mall will this week move into its second leg at the Charlesville Mall from 18 to 20 July where the youth will take part in exciting educational and awareness activities.

The anti-drug campaign has targeted 21 areas for social transformation.

Premier Rasool said the campaign was crucial to creating awareness about the effects of Tik, especially on the youth but also the effects on families and entire communities.

Tik is part of the methamphetamine category of drugs.

He called on communities to work together with the police to promote the ongoing fight against the drug, adding that parents should break the silence and denial of their children's drug habits.

"While government and the police are hard at work trying to crack down on the supply of drugs such as Tik, we cannot and will not succeed if communities do not join hands with us.

"Tik has devastating effects on our youth and the provincial government is determined to work together with the police and our communities to stop the destruction which Tik is sowing across our province," Mr Rasool said.

Emphasising the need for education about the problem, the premier noted that even if they crack down on the high-flyers who supply the Tik, they would still have addicts and therefore a demand.

"We must cut addiction because as long as there are addicts, we will always have people who have to feed their habits by stealing, prostitution and even selling drugs themselves," Mr Rasool said.

Provincial MEC for Community Safety, Leonard Ramatlakane said earlier this year during his budget speech that the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) legislation had led to the arrests of a number of people involved in the closure of a number of drug outlets.

Mr Ramatlakane vowed that the department and the law enforcement agencies will not sit down and watch their children destroy their futures with drugs and by getting involvement in gangs.

"Drug abuse and gangsterism are a historic, parasitical fact about the Western Cape province, our integrated model of government in the form of inter-departmental clusters is beginning to produce sustainable results."

He further said that the drug peddling and gang initiation at schools were receiving attention through inter-departmental programmes between departments including Community Safety, Social Development, Education, Sports and SAPS with a focus on the 165 schools most at risk in the province.

"The life of gangs and drug lords is being made unbearable and no amount of threat has deterred us, our law enforcement agencies and our courts have turned the screws on gangs and drug lords," Mr Ramatlakane said.

A total of 1 658 high flyers have been arrested over four years and during the same time 465 drug outlets were closed and 4 797 drug related arrests were affected.

In the last five years, the police have seized dagga with a street value of R21 million, LSD tablets to the value of R77 150, crack to the value of R5.4 million, heroin to the value of R4.92 million, R354 160 of cocaine, R33 million of TIK, Unga Heroin to the value of R96 000 and Cat to the value of R256 200.

They have further seized mandrax with a street value of R20 million, Methcathinone valued at R107 100, Ecstacy worth R743 370 and Cocaine to the value of R24 million.

"In monetary value, the confiscated drugs is equal to the salary of 1 028 million individuals for a period of three years with a monthly salary of R3 000," said Mr Ramatlakane. - BuaNews